by Sir Charles Warren's force, but Mr.
Gladstone had taken every precaution in view of the contingency of a
collision.

The conditions laid down in the Convention did not satisfy the
Delegates, although they formally assented to them. Their disappointment
began to be strongly manifested. They had stoutly denied that slavery
existed in their country. This denial was challenged by the Secretary
of the Aborigines Protection Society, who brought forward some very
awkward testimonies and facts of recent date. It was suggested that
President Kruger should for ever silence the calumniators by demanding a
Commission of enquiry on this subject which would take evidence within
and round the Transvaal as they might see fit. The Delegates took good
care not to accept this challenge. The firmness of the British
Government at that moment was fully justified by the actual facts of the
case which came so strikingly before them, and their attitude was
supported by public opinion, so far as this public opinion in England
then existed. It was the Transvaal deputation itself which had most
effectually developed it when they first arrived in London, though it
was known they had many friends, and that numbers of the public were
generally quite willing to consider their claims.[18] They sat for three
months in conference with members of Her Majesty's Government before
coming to any decision. That decision was known as the London Convention
of 1884.

The displeasure of the Boer Delegates matured after their return to the
Transvaal, and was expressed in a message sent by the Volksraad to our
Government not many months after the signing of the Convention in
London.

In this document the Boers seem to regard themselves as a victorious
people making terms with those they had conquered. It is interesting to
note the articles of the Convention to which they particularly object.
In the telegram which was sent to "His Excellency, W.E. Gladstone," the
Volksraad stated that the London Convention was not acceptable to them.
They declared that "modifications were desirable, and that certain
articles _must_ be altered." They attached importance to the Native
question, declaring that "the Suzerain (Great Britain) has not the right
to interfere with their Legislature, and that they cannot agree to
article 3, which gives the Suzerain a voice concerning Native affairs,
nor to article 13, by virtue of which Natives are to be allowed to
acquire land, nor to that part of Article 26, by which it is provided
that white men of a foreign race living in the Transvaal shall not be
taxed in excess of the taxes imposed on Transvaal citizens."

It should be observed here that this reference to unequal and excessive
taxation of foreigners in the Transvaal, pointing to a tendency on the
part of the Boers to load foreigners with unjust taxation, was made
before the development of the goldfields and the great influx of
Uitlanders.

The Message of the Volksraad was finally summed up in the following
words: "we object to the following articles, 15, 16, 26, and 27, because
to insist on them is hurtful to our sense of honour." (sic.)

Now what are the articles to which the Boer Government here objects, and
has continued to object?